8/2/2023 0 Comments Medieval europe knights armor![]() ![]() Longbow - Many knights considered the longbow to be a cowardly weapon.These weapons were designed to crush an enemy. Mace - The mace was a club with a big steel head.Some knights preferred a one-handed sword and a shield, while others preferred a larger two-handed sword. Sword - The sword was the preferred weapon once the knight had dismounted or if his lance was broken during battle.The lance could also be used to knock enemy knights off of their horses. This gave the knight a serious advantage against foot soldiers. Because the lance was so long, the knight could attack from his horse. Lance - The lance was a long wooden pole with a metal tip and hand guards.Some weapons were more effective when charging on a horse (like the lance), while others were better for hand to hand combat (like the sword). Knights of the Middle Ages used a variety of weapons. Soon they were completely covered in plate armor and they stopped wearing chain mail.įrom the Walters Art Museum (labels by Ducksters) Weapons Some knights began to put plates of metal over vital parts of their bodies for added protection. A chain mail hauberk could weigh as much as 30 pounds.Īlthough chain mail was flexible and offered good protection, it could be pierced by an arrow or thin sword. Knights wore a padded cloak underneath the armor to help cushion the weight of the armor. The typical chain mail armor was a long cloak called a hauberk. There were two main kinds of armor: chain mail and plate armor.Ĭhain mail was made from thousands of metal rings. Many knights hoped to regain some of the cost through plunder when they conquered enemy towns and cities.ĭuring the Middle Ages knights wore heavy armor made of metal. These three items were very expensive, meaning that only the wealthy could afford to be knights. These “ceremonial” suits of armor are usually very ornate, featuring extensive fluting, intricate engravings, and other decorative features more at home in the world of fashion than battlefield utility.The most valuable items to a knight were his armor, weapons, and his war horse. The knight and his plate armor were now relegated to ceremonial duties and displays. The cumbersome armor of a knight proved ineffective and impractical against new weapons and tactics. 15th/16th century) the face of combat changed. With the effective use of gunpowder weapons (ca. ![]() Ironically, it was soon after the development of the full suit of plate armor that the medieval knight’s advantage in battle began to wane. The shield became smaller, or disappeared altogether as it became unnecessary and redundant. Chainmail armor was now relegated to protecting smaller vital areas that could not be covered with plate armor, such as the groin and under the arms. The medieval “knight in shining armor” that most people think of is the fully plate-armored knight. late 13th/early 14th century), first as reinforcements to vital areas such as the chest and shoulders, and finally as a complete suit (ca. Late in the Middle Ages plate armor began to appear (ca. As the medieval arms race progressed and new, more powerful weapons were developed (such as the longbow and crossbow), chainmail became ineffective on its own. Underneath the metal armor the knight would wear a padded garment known variously as an “aketon,” or “gambeson.” To this defensive equipment he added a shield, usually made of leather-covered wood, and a helmet (see Knights And Armor’s Helmet Page). Because of the mild steel produced in medieval times each ring had to be riveted to keep all the rings from spreading and opening under the weight of the piece. A knight in chainmail armorĪmong the earliest metallic armor to be worn by medieval knights was chainmail armor, consisting of tens of thousands of interlocking rings woven painstakingly by hand to form a shirt, coif, or leggings. Armoring one’s self during the Middle Ages was a great expense that only the wealthy could afford. In fact, it was their protective armor that helped define them as a military unit and social class. Protecting oneself in battle has always been a concern for any soldier, and medieval knights were no exception. ![]()
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